Stronger
by Hornet394
Summary: It's not when they encounter something Tony can't handle do they see more of their resident sniper, and his strange fetish of collecting things that almost took his life. T for swearing.


**_~What doesn't kill you make you stronger_**  
**_Stand a little taller~_**

'It's a fucking bomb,' Tony hissed. 'Aren't you the techie?' Natasha snapped back. 'It's...nothing I've worked with before. Peeps only use it up in Iraq. There's no way I could manage it.' Tony sounds defeated over the comms.

Things weren't looking good. Suicide bomber of the year had a dozen bombs strapped upon him, and Coulson shot him before he pressed the trigger, but the bomb was still ticking away. Worst were the crony drones still prowling around, thus the Avengers. But with the dead guy in the centre of the plaza, no one felt like moving. Even the Hulk had felt the severity of the situation, and had stopped growling.

'You've got to try.' Steve breathed. Tony sounded a bit panicked as he said, 'These things are fucking dangerous! I could snip the wrong line and... 'Sides, I don't even know how they work. Coulson, when is the bomb department coming in?'

'They're kinda in a loop,' Coulson deadpanned, 'Multiple bombs have been found over America. Might take some time before they come.'

'What can this mortal device do?' Thor asked. 'It kills,' Natasha simply said. 'It blows people to bits.'

Everyone was silent. Tony heaved a sigh, ready to go, hoping his armour would shield him, when Clint's voice came over the connection. 'Coulson, I'm going.'

'You sure about that?' Coulson didn't seem a bit astonished. 'Hey, you're talking to the guy whose record hadn't been broken yet.' The archer slipped down from the building and pulled down his bow and quiver. 'You need some suit or what?' Natasha questioned. She knew the archer had pasts he did not wish to disclose. 'Nah,' Clint shook his head as he made his way to the bomb, 'There's enough bang in there to blow us all to Jesus. If I'm gonna die, I want to die comfortable.'

'Wait,' Tony finally exploded, 'You sure you know how to do this?' Clint snorted, pulling some tolls from his pants pocket. A wrench, a bolt-cutter, and a wire cutter. 'Stark, Agent Barton has removed more than 800 bombs.' Coulson informed. Clint immediately corrected him. '899, sir.'

They watched as Clint crouched beside the body, examining it. He was muttering to himself, but nobody could make out what it was. Steve cut in a sharp breath as Clint started snipping at the crisscrossing wires, pulling at them, taking them apart. Seventy years ago, who would have done that without layers and layers of protection?

'Uh guys?' Natasha whispered. 'The drones are moving. And multiplying.' Tony blasted at one who had gotten too close for his liking. 'You alright there Clint?' Steve asked. Clint looked around, cursing very audibly. 'It's kinda complicated. Just keep those motherfuckers away from me. And don't blast at me. Oh shit where is it!'

The drones moved over the fountain, and more seemed to pour out behind them.'Oh shit! We are so fucking damn lucky!' Clint yelped. 'What the heck?' Tony growled. 'If I get this done, then the drones should collapse.' Clint explained, scrutinizing the set up.

'We need faster.' Steve ordered.

'Right on it, Cap.'

They were fighting the pressing drones, when Natasha swore loudly in Russian. 'Behind you Clint!' She screamed. Clint practically had no weapon on him, and a lone drone was moving its way over, and was inches away from shooting. Clint whirled around, and lived up to the title of best throw. The wrench buried in the drone's head, and it collapsed. 'Always knew a wrench would come in handy.' Clint smirked.

'Barton, we gotta go.' Coulson said. 'There's too much.'

'Agent Barton, do you copy that?'

'Clint!'

'Reminds me of that time in Iraq,' Clint suddenly said, 'Sanborn kept screaming that we had to get back down, and poor Eldridge didn't know what to do.' Natasha sensed something along. 'What did you do?' She asked deviously. 'Let me demonstrate.'

Clint then took out the intercomm and threw it behind him. Coulson was stunned, then he barked to Thor, who was closes, 'Tell him, to put his comm back on!'

Thor relayed Coulson's words, and true to Clint's promise, he demonstrated. He gave them the finger.

With Clint happily off their radar, and a fuming and scared Coulson wringing his hands in distress, radio silence was finally achieved.

'Fucker! I got it!' Clint shouted. He snipped a yellow wire, and just like a trigger, the drones collapsed on each other. Clint sat down on the marble tiles, panting. Sweat was running down his forehead.

As they regrouped at the quinjet, Coulson was glaring at Clint, who raised an eyebrow. Tony saw him fiddling something in his hands.

'Where did you learn...?'

Clint shrugged. 'You guys know I was in the army under a fake name. I spent sometime being sniper, but then I got in the EOD. It was nice to dismantle a bomb after so long.' He explained wistfully.

Steve fought the urge to ask what EOD was, but fell silent when everyone was nodding. Natasha smirked inwardly at the Captain. He really needed some revision on modern history.

'What's in your hand?' the Un-Hulk-nized Bruce suddenly asked. Clint held it up into the light. 'Is that from the... bomb?' Thor asked hesitantly. 'The stuff almost killed you!' Steve protested.

Clint smiled. It was an unethearal smile, one that meant that he was in his own world. 'This stuff almost killed me. But it didn't. That's why I keep it.'

_**~What doesn't kill you makes you fighter**_  
_**Footsteps even lighter~**_


End file.
